Kenner Police Chief Steve Caraway wants a No. 2, a deputy chief to run the department in his absence. He will ask the City Council to create the new position Thursday (April 4).

It's a Civil Service job allowed by a state law that the Legislature approved in 2010. But unlike other positions in the Kenner Police Department, the deputy chief would be chosen by the chief from among those officers who pass the Civil Service examination. For lower jobs in the department's seniority-based system, the longest-tenured applicant who passes the test gets promoted; the chief has no discretion.

"It gives me an opportunity to select the best person," said Caraway, who is in his final year in office.

It also could let Caraway groom his successor, giving a higher-profile position to a potential candidate for police chief in the 2014 elections. Caraway acknowledged as much but added: "It depends on whether or not they even want to run for police chief." In addition, he said, the deputy chief would have to quit the Civil Service job to run, as Caraway did when he retired as captain in 2005 to campaign for chief.

The City Council has shown deference to the police chief in recent years, in part because the chief is elected and in part because it's politically risky to vote against public safety. Councilwoman Michele Branigan said that creating the deputy chief position doesn't seem to be a controversial issue, but she also said she has not heard much about Caraway's request.

"Steve has not taken any time to call us," she said Wednesday. Caraway said he explained the issue in a letter to council members about 10 days ago.

The Police Department has 232 employees and a $16.8 million budget. Caraway said he abolished the unofficial No. 2 position, operations commander, when Major Dwane Babin retired from the job earlier this year.

For deputy chief, all applicants must be Kenner police employees, have at least eight years' experience in law enforcement and be ranked sergeant or above, according to state law.